Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

come quickly. His exhausted body needed to recuperate. However, his mind raced with possible scenarios on how the ring smuggled the children across the border. Had they all been abducted in Alaska? Was this a joint American-Canadian gang? Questions scrambled in his brain and he could not turn it off. Finally, after watching the clock on the nightstand flip to midnight, Layke drifted off.

He woke to the sound of glass breaking and bolted upright. A breeze whistled into the room, chilling him. The time now showed five in the morning and the storm still raged outside. The branch protruding into the room from the broken window proved it. His cell phone buzzed and he checked the caller. Elias. Why would he be calling and why did his head pound so much?

Layke clicked on the call. “What’s up, Elias?”

“You need to get out of there now. We were just alerted to chatter on the dark web. The price on your heads increased and the location of the cabin is compromised. How, we don’t know.” The corporal’s tone was urgent.

Layke threw off the comforter and placed his feet on the floor. His head spun as the scent of rotten eggs wafted into his room. He jumped up despite his dizziness. They had a propane leak and had to get out fast. “Elias, get the fire department here as fast as you can.” He disconnected.

A question raced through Layke’s mind as he stumbled to the door.

Was it an accident or intentional?

* * *

Pounding woke Hannah. Not only the pounding on the door, but in her head, too.

“Wake up, Hannah! We need to get out of here. Now!” Layke’s baritone voice boomed undeniable urgency.

Something was wrong. She jumped out of bed and stumbled from the wave of dizziness plaguing her. She leaned against the wall to regain her balance. What was that horrible smell?

She stuffed her cell phone into her sweatpants and grabbed her gun before yanking open the door. “What’s going on?”

“Propane leak and our position has been compromised. Get Gabe. We can’t stay here any longer.” He rushed down the hall and grabbed his parka, stuffing his radio into the pocket.

She hurried into Gabe’s room and shook him awake. “Bud, we have to leave.”

He blinked open his eyes. “Huh?”

She pulled off the covers. “We have to go.”

“But I don’t want to. I like it here.” He whimpered.

Hannah coughed. Hard. The fumes were getting worse, and she’d used the final inhale from her puffer last night. She needed to get out of the cabin. Now.

“Come on, bud.” She eased him from the bed so he wouldn’t get dizzy like she did. “Mr. Layke is waiting for us.” She ushered him down the hall where Layke had the front door open and was waiting with the boy’s oversize jacket.

“Hurry, it’s getting unbearable.” He shoved a glove into Gabe’s hand. “Put this over your mouth, sport.” Layke wrapped the parka around the boy and lifted him.

The winds whirled into the entryway, chilling them.

Strong fumes hissed from the stove. Had someone cut the line? How had they gotten into the cabin undetected? She glanced around her friend’s oasis and prayed it would be saved.

Layke nudged her toward the door. “Come on!”

She snatched her parka from the coat hook and raced into the night. The light above the door illuminated their way through the darkness.

Frigid temperatures sliced through her attire and she scrambled to get her jacket on. “Where will—”

An explosion cut off her words and rocked the cabin’s structure, propelling the trio off the front porch. They fell into a mound of snow.

Layke jumped up and dragged her and Gabe farther down the laneway. “We need to move. That was the propane tank and—”

A second blast turned the cabin into a fireball and slammed a gush of heat in their direction as debris pelted them. Pieces of split timber flew into the air.

Layke shoved Gabe toward her and scrambled on top, using his body to shield both of them. His weight constricted her breathing and she struggled for air. She fought to gain control as terror surged through her body. God, help us!

Gabe cried and squirmed in an attempt to get out from under them.

Layke jumped up and lifted the boy back into his arms. “Get to the car! Run, Hannah!”

Her leg stung as she jumped to her feet, but she ignored the pain and raced to the vehicle.

Layke shoved aside some of the snow around the tires before putting Gabe into the back seat. “Pray we can get out of here.”

Hannah crawled in beside the boy. “Shouldn’t we stay until the fire trucks come?”

Layke helped her with the seat belt. “No time. This was no accident and the assailants are probably nearby. As soon as I smelled the leak, I asked Elias to get fire trucks here. We can’t wait. They’re after us and won’t stop looking as soon as they find out we weren’t in the cabin when it exploded.” He circled around the vehicle and hopped in the front seat.

Gabe sobbed.

Hannah pulled him closer. “Shh. It’s gonna be okay.”

She glanced out the rear window at the cabin as Layke backed the Suburban down the driveway. The flames billowed into the sky and blanketed the area with lingering wisps. The inferno smothered its victim with smoke clawing its way to the sky. How could she ever tell her friend her cabin was gone? And that it was all her fault. If only—

“It’s not your fault, Hannah,” Layke said. “There was no way you could have predicted the assailant’s next move.”

She turned back around and caught a glimpse of his eyes in the rearview mirror. Even in the dark, his piercing blue eyes spoke volumes. How did he know what thoughts raced through her mind? A tear threatened to fall, and she pinched her eyebrows in an effort to stop it. Now wasn’t the time to let her emotions take over. She needed to stay in control, especially when their lives were in danger.

“How did